If you want to explore an extensive list, visit this site: https://damorementalhealth.com/glossary-of-mental-health/.
Just a friendly reminder that these terms come from the APA Dictionary of Psychology, the DSM-IV-TR, and the DSM-5.
Feelings of apprehension relating to anticipated dangerous, catastrophic, or unfortunate events. Physical symptoms include muscle tension, faster breathing, and a more rapid heartbeat.
Anxiety is different from fear in that it is a future-oriented and long-lasting response to a broad threat, while fear is a present-oriented and short-lived response to a specific threat.
Any disorder that is characterized by an emotional state of fear, worry, or excessive apprehension. Examples of anxiety disorders include panic disorders, different phobias, and generalized anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders are chronic and are one of the most common health problems in the United States. They can sometimes occur due to medical conditions such as endocrine disorders, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disorders, metabolic disorders, and neurological disorders.
A type of therapy that identifies self-destructive and unhealthy behaviors and uses operant conditioning and classical conditioning to help change these behaviors. Behavioral therapy focuses on the behavior itself rather than the underlying causes of the behavior.
Techniques used in behavioral therapy include behavioral research, biofeedback, modeling, and systematic desensitization.
A type of mood disorder in which someone alternates between symptoms of mania and depression. This disorder includes the following subtypes:
Limits that are set to protect an individual in a relationship or during an activity. For example, a therapist may set a boundary that discussions of their personal life are off-limits, that there is no touching, etc. Respecting boundaries is an essential aspect of a therapeutic relationship
A type of therapy that uses treatment techniques from cognitive therapy and behavior therapy. CBT is used to identify and change negative thought patterns and destructive behaviors through cognitive restructuring and behavioral methods.
A psychological strategy or adaptation used to decrease tension or anxiety in stressful situations.
Psychological interventions often focus on getting rid of harmful coping mechanisms.
A negative state of being that ranges from feelings of sadness or discontentment to feelings of extreme sadness and pessimism.
Depression interferes with daily functioning and can cause various physical, cognitive, and social changes such as changes in eating habits, altered sleep patterns, lack of energy or motivation, difficulty with concentration or decision making, withdrawal from social activities.
Depression is a symptom of a variety of mental health disorders.
The process of identifying the nature of an illness or disorder by examination of the symptoms with assessment techniques like tests and examinations.
Diagnosis can also refer to the classification of an individual’s condition based on the disease, abnormality, or characteristic they have.
A type of stress that occurs as a reaction to feeling overwhelmed by any demands, unfortunate events, losses, or perceived threats. It can cause individuals to have difficulties adjusting physically and psychologically, which can create significant health risks.
Distress can also refer to a negative emotion that has an unidentified or unspecified specific quality.
The diagnosis of two separate disorders that occur at the same time in one individual. An example of this is depression and substance use disorder coexisting simultaneously in the same person.
A feeling of intense happiness or excitement and an increased sense of well-being. Exaggerated euphoria is a common symptom of a manic or hypomanic episode.
A disorder characterized by persistent and excessive worry about various concerns, including current events, finances, appearance, health, activities of friends and family, work, and school.
Symptoms of GAD include:
People diagnosed with GAD have difficulty controlling their worry and experience symptoms more often than not for six months or longer.
Refers to an unrealistic and exaggerated sense of superiority. Someone who experiences grandiosity may believe they have more extraordinary abilities than they do or are more important than they are. These may be considered delusions of grandeur in extreme cases.
The deep sorrow that someone experiences after a significant loss, usually the death of a loved one. Grief is different from bereavement and mourning as these do not always result in grief, and grief is not always shown publicly.
Grief often causes distress, anxiety, confusion, obsession with the past, and apprehension of the future. Intense grief can cause disruption of the immune system, self-neglect, and thoughts of suicide.
False sensory experiences that appear to be real but are created in the mind. The most common hallucinations are auditory hallucinations (hearing things that aren’t there) and visual hallucinations (seeing things that aren’t there).
Hallucinations usually occur as a symptom of a psychotic disorder like schizophrenia, but can also occur due to the use of substances, neurological abnormalities, and other conditions.
A hallucination is different from an illusion, which is a misinterpretation of something that is actually occurring.
An episode characterized by an elevated or irritable mood, inflated self-esteem, a decreased need for sleep, increased speech, racing thought, increased activity, engagement in risky behaviors, and a tendency to be more easily distracted.
Someone diagnosed with bipolar II disorder experiences one or more hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic symptoms are also characteristic of cyclothymic disorder.
A type of therapy that occurs on a one-on-one basis between an individual and a therapist. Therapists seek to treat one client’s psychological problems at a time and focus on his or her unique needs.
A legal procedure used to confine someone with a serious mental illness to a mental hospital. Involuntarily hospitalized individuals are considered a danger to themselves or others and may not recognize their need for treatment or understand the severity of their illness. They also may not be able to survive without this medical attention.
A mood disorder characterized by the symptoms of a major depressive episode. These symptoms include:
Symptoms of major depressive disorder occur without accompanying episodes of mania or hypomania. A major depressive episode may accompany episodes of mania or hypomania in someone with bipolar disorder.
An episode characterized by an elevated or irritable mood, restlessness, talkativeness, racing thoughts, inflated self-esteem, a decreased need for sleep, engagement in risky behaviors, and a tendency to be more easily distracted.
Manic episodes are different from hypomanic episodes. Manic episodes last at least a week, while hypomanic episodes last at least four consecutive days. Someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder will experience one or more manic episodes.
A drug prescribed by a doctor or available over the counter that helps treat an illness, disease, disorder, or condition. They are specifically used to treat mental illnesses.
A disorder characterized by significant distress, impairment of personal functioning, abnormal behaviors, or some combination of these. Mental disorders can result from physiological, genetic, chemical, social, and some environmental factors.
A state of mind characterized by emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health is measured by good behavioral adjustment, freedom from anxiety and disabling symptoms, the establishment of healthy relationships, and the ability to cope with life’s demands and stresses.
The state of awareness of one’s internal state and surroundings. Mindfulness can be applied to various therapies, including mindfulness-based cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and mindfulness meditation.
These therapies can help individuals connect to their thoughts and emotions in the present moment without judgment or reaction, which can ultimately create healthier patterns and avoidance of destructive habits.
Any disorder characterized by prolonged and pervasive emotional disturbances. Mood disorders include bipolar disorders and their subtypes, including bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder; and depressive disorders including major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
A sudden and intense feeling of apprehension and fearfulness without the presence of any actual danger. Panic attack symptoms include heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, chest pain or discomfort, choking or smothering sensations, sweating, and dizziness.
Panic attacks can involve fears of going crazy, losing control, or dying. They may occur in the context of anxiety disorders, other mental disorders, or general medical conditions.
A type of anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent panic attacks that are unexpected. These panic attacks are associated with concern of having another attack, worry related to the consequences of an attack, and behavioral changes related to the attacks.
The ability to become aware of objects, relationships, and events through the senses. Perceptive activities include recognizing, observing, and discriminating. These activities help organisms to respond to stimuli appropriately.
A disorder characterized by feelings of fear, terror, or hopelessness triggered by experiencing or witnessing an event the individual believes to be a threat to life, physical integrity, and safety.
Symptoms of PTSD include:
A medical practitioner who specializes in the study, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of personality, mental, and behavioral disorders.
In the US, psychiatrists are educated through four years of premedical school, four years of medical school in which they spend the last two years studying with physicians, and four years of residency in a hospital or agency approved by the American Medical Association.
Someone who is professionally trained in an area of psychology at a university or school of professional psychology. Psychologists obtain a doctoral degree in philosophy (Ph.D.), psychology (PsyD), or education (EdD).
Psychologists may work in various areas, including laboratories, schools, social agencies, hospitals, clinics, the military, prisons, the government, and private practice. They may also engage in various professional activities, including psychological counseling, other mental health care services, educational testing and assessment, teaching, research, and business consulting.
A mental state in which reality is experienced in a different way than other people. Psychosis is characterized by disruptions in perception, cognition, cognitive processing, and emotions. As a result of these disruptions, an individual in psychosis may experience delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized speech.
A type of psychological therapy in which a professionally trained and licensed mental health professional uses different communication and interaction forms to assess, diagnose, and treat adverse emotional reactions, thought processes, and behaviors.
Psychotherapy can be used for individuals, couples, and families, and on a group level. Types of psychotherapy include psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive or behavior therapy, humanistic therapy, and integrative psychotherapy.
A psychotherapist may be a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, social worker, or psychiatric nurse.
A negative social stigma regarding mental, physical, or social deficiencies in an individual. The social disapproval associated with this stigma can cause discrimination and exclusion of individuals with mental illnesses.
A mental state characterized by emotional strain in response to internal or external stressors, including adverse or demanding circumstances. Stress affects almost every system of the body and influences feelings and behaviors.
Some stress symptoms include palpitations, sweating, dry mouth, shortness of breath, fidgeting, accelerated speech, intensification of negative emotions, more significant stress fatigue. Stress affects mental and physical health and can cause associated disorders and diseases and reduce the quality of life.
A trained professional who practices and is skilled in a particular kind of therapy to treat mental or physical diseases or disorders. A therapist may sometimes also be referred to as a psychotherapist in mental health.
An emotional response to any disturbing experience. The emotional response includes feelings of significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, and other intense emotions. These feelings can create a long-lasting effect on an individual’s attitudes, behaviors, and regular functioning.
Some examples of a traumatic event include rape, war, industrial accidents, and extreme natural disasters. These events can make the world feel less safe to people who have experienced them,
Medical care given to a patient to relieve a pathological condition. Types of treatment can include drugs (medication), psychotherapy, or surgery.
A stimulus that affects one’s emotional state by causing extreme distress or a feeling of being overwhelmed. An example of a trigger is a memory that brings up uncomfortable or upsetting feelings in the present moment.
Entry of a patient to a psychiatric hospital or other inpatient unit without coercion, and at their own request. This hospitalization can end whenever the patient believes they are ready to leave.
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